A bill under consideration in the lame duck session could close Ohio’s poorest performing schools. State Sen. Andrew Brennan initially introduced the legislation this summer, defining poorest performing as those in the bottom 5%.
Under the legislation, the district could close the school and reassign its students to a higher-performing building, or replace the building’s principal and 60% of its licensed staff. Included in the bill are district-operated, charter and STEM schools serving fourth grade and above.
Public schools could be taken over by charters or an "education management organization."
On Cincinnati Edition, we talk with Sen. Brennan about what he hopes this legislation will achieve and whether he will bring it back in the next legislative session if it does not pass in the lame duck.
Guests:
- Andrew Brennan, Ohio State Senator, Columbus-area Republican
- Dani Isaacsohn, Ohio State Representative, Cincinnati Democrat
- Julie Sellers, president, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
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